Homemade Taho Recipe (Soft tofu with syrup and tapioca pearls)

Try this Taho recipe (Soft tofu with syrup and tapioca pearls) and learn how to make Taho at home easily. This method uses Epsom salt and instant soy milk.

We grew up on this! Taho is a favorite after breakfast treat back when we were small and when we were not so small anymore. I remember having it every morning at weekends and like almost every day during school summer vacation. Our regular Taho peddler would usually come mid-morning and once we hear him shouting “Tahhoooooo” in his big melodious voice, we would come racing home, leaving whatever we are doing, to get our glasses and some money from our Mama or Papa. I remember we would always beg him for an extra arnibal (brown sugar syrup) or/and sago (tapioca pearls) and would usually oblige us. I never learned his name, but his face with his thick mustache and a ready smile is forever etched in my memory.

When I was looking for a recipe and I came across a lot of them on the internet. But most of them are using ready-made silken tofu which also poses the same problem for me since silken tofu is also not that popular in Germany. This means I have to go extra to the nearest Asian shop and it is not that near. Then there are some who made Taho using gelatin. I was curious and gave it a try. The texture was great, really smooth and it really so simple to make…BUT it has to be eaten cold. It was actually not bad having a cold taho but I miss the one I was used to, a hot/warm Taho. The first picture above is the one made using gelatin and the rest of the photos here are the ones with Epsom salt.

So next I searched for articles on how to make silken tofu. I read a lot and also learned so much. Now I know that I need a coagulant agent to make the soy milk curdle to form taho. Almost all of them are using gypsum, the food grade one of course and not the one you use for your walls. Common coagulants mentioned for making Tofu are calcium sulfate (gypsum), magnesium chloride (nigari), and delta gluconolactone (GDL). But the most practical one I found is using Epsom salt from this post on how to make silken tofu. Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate) is the easiest one to find and also not as expensive as the others.

I just have to change it a bit because the first time I did it, it did not curdle enough so I tried modifying the recipe from what I’ve learned from the other recipes and from the comments of other people who did it before me. I added cornstarch to make it more stable. I also increased the amounts of Epsom salt and this you have to try and learn on your own. Based on the article, they used 1/2 teaspoon for 3 cups of homemade soy milk. This ratio did not work for my instant soy milk. But 1 teaspoon for every cup 3/4 cup (188ml) of instant soy milk did the job. I would suggest you try first, making a cup of soy milk with 1/2 teaspoon and go on from there.

Place a pot on top of the stove and place a heat-proof bowl big enough for 500ml of liquid in the middle of it.

In a small cup, dissolve cornstarch in ⅛ cup water then add the Epsom salt and stir until dissolved.

Pour the Epsom salt mixture into the empty bowl. Add the soy milk to the mixture in a steady stream, not too fast but not too slow. Do NOT stir! Once both mixtures are combined, try not to agitate it or it will not curdle as smoothly.

Now, pour the boiling water into the pot just high enough to be on the same level of the mixture in the bowl.

Cover pot with the lid covered with clean cloth to absorb the steam and prevent it from dropping back into the Taho mixture.

Turn on the stove to medium-low heat and let it cook for 15-20 minutes or until the Taho becomes firm to the touch but wiggly. While waiting for the Taho to cook, prepare the arnibal and tapioca pearls.

TO MAKE ARNIBAL: In a small pot, combine equal parts of brown sugar and water. Bring it to boil over medium heat while stirring occasionally and let it simmer until it thickens into a syrup (about 7-10 minutes).

TO COOK TAPIOCA PEARLS:

Boil a half liter of water and add the tapioca pearls. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Place a colander/strainer in a bowl or pot and pour the contents to separate the tapioca from the water. Use the same water and bring it to boil the second time. Wash the strained tapioca pearls thoroughly with tap water and put it back to the boiling water and cook again until they become completely translucent and no more white spot at the core.

Using a wide spoon or ladle, make thin scoops of Taho and transfer to a glass. Add some arnibal and Tapioca pearls. Enjoy while warm.

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Homemade Taho Recipe (Soft tofu with syrup and tapioca pearls) was last modified: May 14th, 2017 by Bebs

Written by Bebs

Bebs here! I love to cook and try new things and DIY projects! And although I think of myself as a homebody, I like seeing other places from time to time.
If you are looking for a recipe and it ain't here, make a request and I will try my best to make it for you!

I have been following your blog for quite some time now! I just love how easy your empanada is, and have tried few other recipes like tocino and longganisa 🙂 quick and easy, going back to Taho making, do you have a substitute for Epsom salt?

Hi S, Thanks for your comment! As for making Taho, Epsom salt is actually the alternative, as it is cheaper and easier to get (for me at least). You can look for Calcium sulfate (food grade gypsum) or also Nigari.:-)

I’m pretty sure Hanoi has lots of tapioca pearls. I just have to search patiently. :)) By the way, I hope you can make a mango cake recipe just like the one in red ribbon. Believe it or not, I only trust your recipe because it’s “homecook friendly”.

I love this recipe. My kids will surely love this. I’ve been seeing a lot of silken tofu at the grocery and I can finally put them to good use. If I can only find small tapioca pearls then I’m off to to a good start.

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